Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!wuarchive!uunet!jarthur!nntp-server.caltech.edu!madler
From: madler@nntp-server.caltech.edu (Mark Adler)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.next
Subject: Re: 040+2.0-2.88=???
Message-ID: <1991Apr25.190439.787@nntp-server.caltech.edu>
Date: 25 Apr 91 19:04:39 GMT
References: <00947A6C.16166480@UAVAX0.CCIT.ARIZONA.EDU> <CNH5730.91Apr25123642@maraba.tamu.edu>
Distribution: na,local
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Lines: 34

In article <CNH5730.91Apr25123642@maraba.tamu.edu> cnh5730@maraba.tamu.edu writes:
>   As an aside, I really cannot fathom how NeXT conducts business.  
>
>As compared to, say, the government?

If we have to start comparing NeXT to the government to make it
look good, then NeXT is in *really* bad shape.  Personally, I
think NeXT is doing pretty well for its age and size.

>Fyi, 95% of the bug-fixes in 2.1 do not involve bugs at all. The
>update incorporates stuff for the color machines, all of which are
>shipping with version 2.1 installed. So unless your system falls into
>the subset of systems needing the few minor bug fixes that got thrown
>into 2.1, you don't need to update. 

Spouting the NeXT party line again, hmmm?  Fyi, 2.1 fixes a serious,
no, a crippling bug in 2.0 when run on 68040 machines.  Many optimized
floating point calculations will crash the machine.  And just for good
measure, it crashes the machine to the point that only pulling the
plug will get it back.  What this amounts to is a computer than
cannot compute.

(Yes, I've posted this before, but apparently it deserves repeating.)

NeXT has not been forthright about this, as a company, even though
individual employees of NeXT have been helpful concerning this
problem.

In short, don't believe NeXT when they say most 2.0 users won't need
to upgrade.  Upgrade if at all possible.  If you don't, and you have
or plan to get an 040, you'll get nailed sooner or later.

Mark Adler
madler@pooh.caltech.edu